Lounge
May 1, 2015
#004 Eiichi Izumi × Yukihiro Fukutomi (DJ/Music Producer) Conversation (Part 1)
#005 M a Eiichi Izumi × Yukihiro Fukutomi (DJ/Music Producer) Talk (Part 1)
'M a', a communication tool launched by Eiichi Izumi, director of the fashion brand "MINOTAUR."
This time, we feature Yukihiro Fukutomi, who is both a DJ and a music producer.
He has released solo works from music labels worldwide, including King Street Sounds (USA), JCR (Jazzanova Compost Records, Germany), Hospital (UK), and IRMA (Italy), and has also remixed works by artists both in Japan and abroad. He now releases his long-awaited new album 'Contact' after a four-year silence.
Furthermore, "MINOTAUR" has produced a limited edition collaboration CD, an unreleased special version titled "Open Our Eyes part3 (Minotaur Special Version)," to commemorate the release. It will be distributed for approximately one month from the album release date of November 12, 2008, as a gift with purchase at the "MINOTAUR SHOP" and "Toki Shirazu" located in SHIBUYA PARCO Part 3, as well as at select "M a shop" locations.
In this conversation, Eiichi Izumi and Yukihiro Fukutomi discuss the concept behind Fukutomi's new album and the circumstances that led to their collaboration on DJ activities and this project.
Summary by Hidefumi Kaneko (This magazine)Photo courtesy of Studio (Shibuya-ku)
IzumiRegarding your new album, could you tell us about its concept?
FukutomiMy approach to DJing, and also my albums, is based on finding connections and linking them together. I don't stick to one genre; it's more cross-disciplinary. For example, it's common to transition from house music to dance classics, but it's also fine to go from house to jazz funk, or even to jazz. I believe that connecting these musical intersections is the essence of DJing.
I also like a variety of music, so I think about how to bring the album together by finding the connections between them. I also enjoy minimal music and contemporary music, and free jazz, so ideally, I'd like to incorporate all of that.
IzumiBut the idea of connecting points is reflected in more than just this album, isn't it?
FukutomiYes, it is.
And music isn't created in isolation; it's a combination of various genres, isn't it? However, with the current extreme specialization of genres, I think there are many people who don't accept other genres. While 'distinction' is fine, 'discrimination' is not.
I believe this applies to music, people, and of course, clothing. However, without any distinction, accepting everything would lead to something incomprehensible. That's why I think 'style' is necessary. While it's good to like many things, when it comes to creation, being able to do anything isn't always the best approach. Having a broad scope is good, but you need a clear door. Creating various sounds based on a certain framework.
In that sense, for me, it's house music. I think from a house music perspective, so I don't want to change that foundation.
IzumiI see.
Various artists participated as guest musicians on this album. Was their selection based on the mood of the songs?
FukutomiYes, that's right.
Also, I basically chose people with whom I have a connection, someone I have some kind of link with.
IzumiDo you mean people you see often in daily life?
FukutomiAren't encounters opportunities?
This time, it's on the level of 'a friend of a friend,' but it's still about 'connections.'
IzumiI'm not a musician, but I've had a connection with you for a long time, and it's only now, with the release of this album, that...
FukutomiIt's an opportunity, isn't it?
IzumiA small thing can deepen a connection...
FukutomiIt deepens, doesn't it? (laughs)
IzumiI'd like to talk about how various things have expanded three-dimensionally starting with this album. In conjunction with the album's release, you've decided to offer an unreleased track as a gift to purchasers in the form of a "Minotaur Version." Could you tell us about the process of selecting that song?
FukutomiThe track created as the "Minotaur Version" is "OPEN OUR EYES," a late 80s house classic, a cover of Marshall Jefferson's song.
On the album, there are two parts to that song. It starts with a classic house feel, then moves into contemporary music and jazz elements, and then develops into something meditative or like German progressive. After creating two versions, I wanted to make a Part 3.
This would be a meditative development that then builds into a beat, making it danceable. At that time, I received an offer from Izumi-san about sound production at a very opportune moment, so I shaped the idea for Minotaur. Therefore, if you listen to the album and want to hear Part 3, you can get it at the Minotaur store, and if you want to hear Parts 1 and 2 after listening to that, they are included in the album! It's a reciprocal approach.
IzumiThe album includes a variety of genres and was quite substantial.
After listening to it, when I heard the Minotaur Version Part 3, the world of that song alone expanded again, which was wonderful. And it was a long version. So, the story that wasn't expressed in the album was felt anew.
FukutomiAlthough it's a trilogy, Parts 1 and 2 are paired, and I made Part 3 slightly different. However, I wanted to maintain a sense of connection among all three.
I didn't really think about creating a standalone song for Minotaur this time. I thought it would be more interesting if it made sense whether you approached it from the gift CD or the album, and it also fit the concept. Also, personally, I had an image of new jazz associated with Minotaur, so I went with this arrangement.
IzumiRegarding clothing genres as well, there are 'distinctions' but no 'discrimination,' so this was an approach from clothing to music in that sense.
Listening to this album and the Minotaur version, I felt that the feeling, or rather, the direction, was aligned.
FukutomiI'm happy to hear you say that.
IzumiThose distinctions were house and new jazz. You're also holding a tour at the same time, aren't you?
FukutomiYes. I'll be joining you in a few locations. It's not a release party, but the party we had together in Gifu the other day was also a lot of fun.
IzumiThis was a coincidental event that occurred naturally from our prior connection to this project, but personally, I feel we've really merged.
FukutomiYour DJing was also highly praised by our DJ team.
IzumiThank you.
We'll also have tour T-shirts, and I hope it feels like we're properly promoting it through a natural flow.
FukutomiThe design is the song title, it's a Minotaur piece, and someone wears it, and someone else finds it cute. Clothing is like that; seeing someone wear something gives 'something' to someone else. That aspect is effective and good, isn't it?
IzumiIndeed, this project wasn't planned; it feels like it has reached today through a natural progression. If we summarize this conversation, perhaps it was a 'contact' (laughs).
FukutomiIt's good that we're connected (laughs).
Yukihiro Fukutomi "Contact" Release Tour & DJ SCHEDULE
November 15 (Sat) @ Kyoto METRO with Yoshihiro Okino (Kyoto Jazz Massive), akiko
November 21 (Fri) @ Fukuoka Kieth Flack with arvin homa aya, Kentaro Takizawa
November 22 (Sat) @ Kumamoto INDIGO with arvin homa aya, Kentaro Takizawa
November 28 (Fri) @ Sapporo mole with akiko, JABBERLOOP
November 29 (Sat) @ Kanazawa manier with IZUMI (MINOTAUR), TR, BRISA
December 06 (Sat) @ Shibuya The Room with Shuya Okino (Kyoto Jazz Massive)
December 20 (Sat) @ Aoyama LOOP with Kentaro Takizawa
December 26 (Fri) @ Mie Subway with akiko
December 27 (Sat) @ Nagoya mago with BRISA
January 24 (Sat) @ Nagasaki Ugetsu with arvin homa aya
February 20 (Fri) @ Kobe troop cafe with akiko
January 31 (Sat) Release party decided at Tokyo, Daikanyama UNIT!
Yukihiro Fukutomi
Upon his first visit to New York in 1988, he was captivated by house music and has since consistently pursued the "essence and diversity of house" through his DJing and production activities.
His works have always incorporated essences from various music genres, making them difficult to categorize easily. However, this originality has been highly acclaimed, particularly in the international jazz scene rather than domestically. All his works released after 1999 have had worldwide releases.
http://www.equalize.org.uk/
Contact
Released November 12, 2008
Price | ¥2,800
Label | tearbridge records / avex entertainment
Open Our Eyes part3 (Minotaur Special Version)
Gift with purchase at "MINOTAUR SHOP" and "Toki Shirazu" in SHIBUYA PARCO Part 3, and select "M a shop" locations.
Period | November 12, 2008 – (while supplies last)
Fashion brand "MINOTAUR"'s urban life lineMUG's products
Web shopping magazine "Rumors"can be purchased at.
